In June, 2023, a quiet morning in Colesville, New York, turned into a nightmare when Patrick D. Proefriedt, 28, shot his 3-week-old daughter and wife with a crossbow during a heated argument.
Tragically, the infant, Eleanor M. Carey, did not survive.
Nearly two years later, Proefriedt was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
On June 26, 2023, a panicked 911 call came into the Broome County Sheriff’s Office.
It was from Megan Carey,Proefriedt’s wife, who reported that she and her newborn had been shot.
Deputies arrived at the home on State Route 41 to find Eleanor fatally wounded and Megan with a non-life-threatening injury to her chest.
According to police reports, Proefriedt and Megan got into a heated argument over their baby’s constant crying.
In the middle of the fight, Proefriedt grabbed a crossbow, loaded it, and fired it at Megan—while she was still holding baby Eleanor.
The arrow pierced the infant’s upper torso, and came out from the infants arm, before striking Megan on the chest.
He then reportedly ripped the arrow out, tossed some towels at Megan, and told her to stop the bleeding.
After that, he took her phone, hid it, and drove off in their only car—the one thing she could’ve used to get help.
Megan was left completely helpless, but despite everything, she found a way to call 911.
Her 22-minute call, later played in court, captured heartbreaking moments as she begged her daughter to stay alive: “Stay with Mommy… please don’t die.”
Sadly, by the time help arrived, baby Eleanor had already passed away.
After fleeing the scene, Proefriedt didn’t get far.
His truck got stuck in the mud less than a mile from their home, so he abandoned it and took off into the woods.
Authorities, using aerial surveillance, found him hiding in the woods within an hour, as reported by Law&Crime.
"After the defendant in this case took the life of his own child, he ran into the woods and hid like a scared rat. A scared rat," said Broome County Sheriff Fred Akshar in a press conference.
But what shocked criminal investigaors even more was his reaction after he was caught.
They say Proefriedt never asked about his wife or child, but instead, he shifted the blame—telling them Megan had “dared him” to pull the trigger.
Before this tragedy, he was already serving time for first-degree criminal contempt—after breaking multiple protection orders and allegedly “putting Megan’s head through a wall.”
Judge Joseph F. Cawley acknowledged that Proefriedt had a troubled childhood, filled with physical and sexual abuse, along with mental health struggles.
But he made it clear—none of that was an excuse for what he did.
“You offered no aid to your daughter,” the judge said. “There must be consequences.”
"Even if you ever feel remorse, it won’t bring her back." Despite her pain, she added, "I still believe in love and healing… but you are beyond forgiveness."
Proefriedt gave a brief apology during his sentencing, saying, “I take full responsibility. I got to do what I got to do.”
He added, “I apologize to my wife, and I apologize to you for the sake of my child.”
While the legal chapter has ended, the emotional scars remain.
For Megan, Eleanor’s memory lives on in "every face she sees," and for the community, the case is a reminder of domestic violence’s darkest extremes.
"This wasn’t just a crime—it was an act of pure cruelty," said DA Battisti. "No sentence can undo the loss, but we hope it brings some measure of justice."
As Proefriedt begins his sentence, one thing is clear: Eleanor’s story won’t be forgotten.
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